Letter: Ragga, 'racism' and attacks on gays

Sir: Imagine if the British National Party opened dozens of clubs where thousands of members danced and chanted to songs inciting them to go out and kill black boys. Imagine songs about shooting black boys in the head, while the crowd fires guns into the ceiling. Imagine such songs at the top of the charts ('Macho music that puts gays in fear of their lives', 4 October).

Police would close the clubs, riots would ensue and the country would be outraged. The young black boys would be terrified and would cry out in the name of human rights to be allowed simply to live in peace and safety . . .

Yet these same black boys chant and dance in dozens of clubs to music inciting them to kill gay boys; telling them to shoot gay boys in the head, while they fire shots from their guns at the ceiling.

There is no public outrage, the clubs are not closed and the songs are played on the radio.

This is not a racial thing. My partner (who is black) and I were attacked on the street in Stockwell, by people chanting these lyrics. The good news is that the police helped us successfully to bring an attacker to court. The bad news is that he is one of a gang of 10 who live within yards of us.

If one of our 10 attackers was attacked by the BNP it would be in every paper in the country.

Yours faithfully,

MARK KING

London, E17

4 October